Monday, May 28, 2012

This year our food theme was a Cajun crawfish and shrimp boil. Since AJ and Katherine (Smoky Mountain Cafe) hale from Cajun country, they headed up the cooking activities but everyone pitched in, one way or another.

Despite my earlier assertion that I would NOT eat crawfish, I did. I even did the whole sucking the juices out of the head thing. Shocker, right? This avowed fish hater ate a mudbug and didn't choke. It actually tasted good - spicy and slightly meaty in texture.

I could go on and on about the day but let's just suffice it to say it couldn't be beat.

The guests of honor.

Dave helping me prep the veggies in the morning.

AJ, Alexis, Jackie, and Dave hanging around the boiling action.

AJ "beating our lunch back into the pot" with a crawfish paddle ;)

The venue....

Alexis and Sam.

Katherine demonstrates how to properly eat a crawfish.

Sausage, crawfish, shrimp and veggies - an amazing meal.

AJ giving Alexis and Trevor lessons on how to eat a mud bug.

Our hostess shows she knows how to eat a crawfish.

What a spread of food!

AJ and Alexis on the jet ski.

The kids, just before the rope got caught on the shaft of the jet ski....

AJ spent an hour, 30 seconds at a time, under the water cutting the rope off of the shaft.

Larry giving margarita lessons.

We had a great time, I got to meet some new folks and we had a few new bloggers this year. If you missed it this year, we hope you can join us next year!

Looks like it was a fun time, but, I just don't think I could eat the crawfish Chris! I don't think I could suck on the mud bug, so guess I'd have to eat sausage. Glad it was a great turnout though and the weather looks lovely.

NUH-uh, no way, forget it ... not in a million years would you find me sucking any brains out of any crawdaddy head. Well...unless maybe if I had attended that marg demo of Larry's and drank a bunch of mind altering tequila. And by the way, he's drawn quite the crowd, please tell me he had a couple of hecklers. Nice first photo Chris. Wish I could have been there.

Hey Chris... Perfect host over the weekend! We had such a greet time, all went well on the way home, so Jackie is already planning next year! Will be working on my post of the weekend soon, but wanted to stop, say thanks and letting you know to plan on next year (and of course to get you excited about American Royal Roadtrip 2013... Chris and larry on the road... what's the worst that can happen???)

Ummm...I suppose my invitation got lost in the mail?!? So I'm not EAST Tennessee...I'm WEST...just a bit...maybe next year! You know what they call people who suck brains, right? Zombies. I just have one question, do you always have to wear bug repellent?! Make that two...were there snakes in the water? I've got the name of your first cookbook...Margaritas & Mudbugs...good, no?

I am SO jealous! If only you all wanted to travel just a couple days further west, I know that Jenn and I would happily host! Not that I could offer you an authentic crawfish anything... It all looks delicious!